Lisa Tertsch and Italian newcomer Davide Menichelli were crowned 2026 World Triathlon Duathlon Champions on a hot and windswept Saturday in Abu Dhabi, opening the World Triathlon Multisport Championships in dramatic fashion.
In the women’s race, Tertsch bounced back from the previous day’s WTCS disappointment to secure her first world duathlon crown. After a tactical opening 5km run kept the top ten within six seconds, an eight-woman lead pack formed on the 30km bike leg – bolstered by a solo bridge from Fiona Cornet to join early breakers Emma Wasser and Jasmijn Bakker.
The race boiled down to the final 5km run, where Tertsch, Diana Isakova, and Maria Varo immediately surged clear. As Varo faded over the final two kilometers, the battle for gold became a two-woman shootout between Tertsch and WTCS winner Isakova. Sitting locked on the Russian’s shoulder until 200 meters from the finish, Tertsch unleashed a decisive kick to win by five seconds. Isakova claimed silver, while the Netherlands’ Jasmijn Bakker rallied late to secure bronze ahead of Jeanne Dupont and Varo.
The men’s race was defined by a daring, race-winning breakaway from Davide Menichelli, who captured both the elite and U23 world titles. Following a bunched first 5km run led by defending champion Benjamin Choquert, Menichelli caught the field off guard by surging through the first transition and attacking solo onto the 30km bike course.
Belgium’s Martin Oldenhove bridged across late on the third lap, and the pair worked seamlessly together to build an unassailable one-minute lead over the chasing pack, which included Choquert and Arnaud Dely. Although Oldenhove exited the second transition first, Menichelli quickly took control on the final 5km run, opening a 15-second gap within 1,500 meters and cruising solo to the finish line. Oldenhove held firm to take silver, while France’s Adrien Pilleux surged past Karpeev late in the run to claim the bronze medal.
